Vehicle body assembly

Abstract

A vehicle body assembly includes a steering column assembly, a steering wheel, an actuator mechanism and a controller. The steering wheel is rotatably supported to the steering column assembly for rotation about a first axis. The actuator mechanism is connected to the steering column assembly and includes a lever movable relative to the steering column assembly between a first position and a second position about a second axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis. The controller is operably connected to the actuator mechanism and to a trailer connector such that in response to the lever moving from the first position toward the second position, the controller transmits a braking signal to the trailer connector corresponding to activation of a trailer braking system of a trailer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle body assembly comprising
 an actuator mechanism directly attached to one of a steering column assembly and a steering wheel, the actuator mechanism including a lever movable between a first position and a second position, the actuator mechanism is further operably connected to a vehicle transmission; and 
 a controller operably connected to the actuator mechanism, a vehicle transmission and to a trailer connector, one of the controller and the lever including a switch having a transmission shifting setting and a trailer brake setting such that with the switch in the transmission mode setting movement of the lever of the actuator mechanism controls manual gear shifting functions of the vehicle transmission and with the switch in the trailer brake setting the lever of the actuator mechanism controls braking of the trailer braking system such that in response to the lever moving from the first position toward the second position, the controller transmits a braking signal to the trailer connector corresponding to activation of a trailer braking system of a trailer. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the lever is further movable to any one of a plurality of intermediary positions between the first position and second position, 
 the actuator mechanism includes a displacement detection device that detects incremental movement of the lever relative to each of the plurality of intermediary positions between the first and second positions, and 
 with the switch in the trailer brake setting the controller is configured to make incremental increases in the magnitude of the braking signal transmitted to the trailer connector in response to detecting the incremental movement of the lever. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a vehicle braking system; and 
 a vehicle brake actuator connected to the vehicle braking system and operably coupled to the controller, the vehicle brake actuator being movable between a brake dis-engaging position and a brake engaging position such that with the brake actuator in the brake engaging position the vehicle braking system is engaged and the controller transmits the braking signal to the trailer connector, and 
 the controller including a bypass mode configured such that in response to the lever being moved from the first position toward the second position and the vehicle brake actuator remaining in the brake dis-engaging position, the controller transmits the braking signal to the trailer connector to engage the trailer braking system while the vehicle braking system remains dis-engaged. 
 
     
     
       4. A vehicle body assembly, comprising
 a steering column assembly; 
 a steering wheel rotatably supported to the steering column assembly for rotation about a first axis; 
 an actuator mechanism directly attached to one of the steering wheel and the steering column assembly, the actuator mechanism includes a first lever portion and a second lever portion; and 
 a controller operably connected to the actuator mechanism, a vehicle transmission and a trailer connector such that operation of the first lever portion controls manual gear shifting functions of the vehicle transmission and the second lever portion controls braking of the trailer braking system. 
 
     
     
       5. A vehicle body assembly, comprising
 a steering column assembly; 
 a steering wheel rotatably supported to the steering column assembly; 
 an actuator mechanism connected to one of the steering wheel and the steering column assembly, the actuator mechanism including a lever movable relative to the one of the steering wheel and the steering column assembly between a first position and a second position; 
 a vehicle transmission; and 
 a controller operably connected to the actuator mechanism and to a trailer connector, the controller configured to detect whether or not the trailer connector is connected to a trailer, 
 in response to the controller detecting that there is no trailer connected to the trailer connector, the controller connects the actuator mechanism to the vehicle transmission such that the actuator mechanism controls manual gear shifting functions of the vehicle transmission, and 
 in response to the controller detecting that there is a trailer connected to the trailer connector, the controller connects the actuator mechanism to the trailer connector such that the actuator mechanism controls the trailer braking system and in response to the lever moving from the first position toward the second position, the controller transmits a braking signal to the trailer connector corresponding to activation of a trailer braking system of the trailer. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the lever is further movable to any one of a plurality of intermediary positions between the first position and second position, and 
 the actuator mechanism includes a displacement detection device that detects incremental movement of the lever relative to each of the plurality of intermediary positions between the first and second positions. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the controller is configured to make incremental increases in the magnitude of the braking signal transmitted to the trailer connector in response to detecting the incremental movement of the lever. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the actuator mechanism is attached to the steering column assembly, with the steering wheel being rotatable about a first axis that extends through the steering column assembly, and 
 the lever pivots about a second axis that extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the actuator mechanism is attached to the steering wheel, with the steering wheel being rotatable about a first axis, and 
 the lever pivots about a second axis that extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 5 , further comprising
 a vehicle braking system; and 
 a vehicle brake actuator connected to the vehicle braking system and operably coupled to the controller, the vehicle brake actuator being movable between a brake dis-engaging position and a brake engaging position such that with the brake actuator in the brake engaging position the vehicle braking system is engaged and the controller transmits the braking signal to the trailer connector. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the controller includes a bypass mode configured such that in response to the lever being moved from the first position toward the second position and the vehicle brake actuator remaining in the brake dis-engaging position, the controller transmits the braking signal to the trailer connector to engage the trailer braking system while the vehicle braking system remains dis-engaged. 
 
     
     
       12. A vehicle body assembly, comprising
 an actuator mechanism within the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and 
 a controller operably connected to the actuator mechanism, to a vehicle transmission and to a trailer connector such that: 
 in response to the controller detecting that there is no trailer connected to the trailer connector, the controller enables the actuator mechanism to communicate with the vehicle transmission such that the actuator mechanism controls manual gear shifting functions of the vehicle transmission, and 
 in response to the controller detecting that there is a trailer connected to the trailer connector, the controller enables the actuator mechanism to communicate with the trailer connector such that the actuator mechanism controls a trailer braking system of the trailer. 
 
     
     
       13. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 a steering column assembly; and 
 the actuator mechanism is attached to the steering column assembly, the actuator mechanism including a lever movable relative to the steering column assembly between a first position and a second position, and in response to the lever moving from the first position toward the second position, the controller transmits a braking signal to the trailer connector corresponding to activation of the trailer braking system of the trailer. 
 
     
     
       14. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising
 a steering wheel rotatably supported to the steering column assembly for rotation about a first axis, wherein the lever of the actuator mechanism is movable about a second axis that extends in a direction transverse to the first axis. 
 
     
     
       15. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 a steering wheel having an outer grip portion and a central portion rotatably supported to a vehicle passenger compartment for rotation about a first axis, wherein 
 the actuator mechanism is attached to the central portion of the steering wheel for rotation therewith about the first axis, the actuator mechanism having a lever movable relative to the outer grip portion about a second axis spaced apart from the first axis between a first position and a second position such that with the lever in the second position a free end of the lever is closer to the outer grip portion than in the first position. 
 
     
     
       16. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the steering wheel is rotatable about a first axis, and 
 the lever of the actuator mechanism is movable about a second axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis. 
 
     
     
       17. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the lever is further movable to any one of a plurality of intermediary positions between the first position and second position, 
 the actuator mechanism includes a displacement detection device that detects incremental movement of the lever relative to each of the plurality of intermediary positions between the first and second positions, and 
 the controller is configured to make incremental increases in the magnitude of the braking signal transmitted to the trailer connector in response to detecting the incremental movement of the lever. 
 
     
     
       18. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 15 , further comprises
 a vehicle braking system; and 
 a vehicle brake actuator connected to the vehicle braking system and operably coupled to the controller, the vehicle brake actuator being movable between a brake dis-engaging position and a brake engaging position such that with the brake actuator in the brake engaging position the vehicle braking system is engaged and the controller transmits the braking signal to the trailer connector. 
 
     
     
       19. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the controller includes a bypass mode configured such that in response to the lever being moved from the first position toward the second position, the vehicle brake actuator remaining in the brake dis-engaging position, and the controller detecting that there is a trailer attached to the trailer connector, the controller transmits the braking signal to the trailer connector to engage the trailer braking system while the vehicle braking system remains dis-engaged. 
 
     
     
       20. The vehicle body assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.